Lighting system



Feb. 24, 1942. H. c. DOANE ETAL LIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 13, 1940 INVENTORS Harry 0- Deane GrnoH Q. Bluemle Patented Feb. 24, 1942 LIGHTING SYSTEM Harry G. Doane, Flint, Mich., and Arnold A. Bluemle, Anderson, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application September 13, 1940, Serial No. 356,578

12 Claims.

This invention relates to electric lighting systems for automobiles and more particularly to vehicles provided with fog lamps in addition to the regular driving and parking lamps.

One object is to provide for automatically turning off the fog lamp whenever the ignition is turned oif so that, in case the driver forgets to manually turn off the fog lamp on leaving the car, the battery will not be drained.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

The figure of the drawing is a wiring diagram illustrating a form of the present invention.

A storage battery 29 is charged by the automobile generator (not shown) and supplies current for ignition through an ignition switch 2| and for lamps through a thermal protective switch 22 connected with a main lighting switch 23.

Switch 23 comprises stationary contacts 24, 25, 26, 21 28 and 29, a triangular movable contact 30 and a grounded movable contact 3| insulated from contact 39. Contact 3| moves with contact 30. Tail lamp 32 is connected with contact 28. Wire 33 connects contact 21 with contact 34 of a foot dimmer switch 35 having two branch contacts 36 and 31, which, by the depression of a foot operated plunger, are selectively connected with terminal 34 by a movable contact 36. This foot operated plunger operates as well known to those skilled in this art, to shift the contact 38 by a ratchet mechanism (not shown). According to the present disclosure it operates, when depressed, to close contacts 39 and 49. Contact 40 is connected by wire 4| with the main filament 42 for a ditch lamp 43 having also a marker filament 44. Wire 45 connects dimmer switch contact 36 with main or driving filaments 46 of head lamps 50 and Wire 52 connects dimmer switch contact 31 with depressed beam or passing filaments 48 and 49 of lamps 59 and 5|.

Ditch lamp marker filament 44 and fog lamp 55 are connected by wire 56 and fuse 51 with stationary contact 6| of fog lamp switch 69 having also stationary contacts 62 and 63. Either contacts 6| and 62 or contacts 62 and 63 are bridged by a movable contact 64 pivoted at 64a and normally urged by a spring 65 against a stop 66. In the normal position, contact 64 bridges contacts 62 and 63. When contact 64 is moved manually to the position shown, it is held automatically in this position, provided the ignition switch 2| is closed, by an electromagnetic device comprising an armature 61 movable with contact 64, a core 68 and a coil 69 connected by wire 70 with contact H of ignition switch 2| and by wire 12 with contact 26 of switch 23. Wire 14 connects contact 63 of switch 6|] with parking lamps l5 and 16.

The off position of contact 39 of switch 23 is shown at 30a. The parking" position is shown by the full line triangle 30. In this position the parking lamps l5 and 16 are connected with battery 29 through the following circuit: battery 29, thermal switch 22, contact 24, contact 25, contact 39, contact 29, wire 29a, contact 62, contact 63 (since contact 64 normally bridges contacts 62 and 63) wire 14, lamps I5 and I6 and ground return to battery.

When it is desired to use the fog lamp 55 and ditchmarker filament 44, the driver moves contact 64 of switch 69 against the action of spring 65 to the position shown, thereby disconnecting the parking lamps l5 and 16 and connecting filament 44 and lamp 55 with the battery 20. The contact 64 is automatically retained in this last position by the magnet whose coil 69 is then energized through the following circuit provided the ignition switch 2| is closed: battery 29, switch 2|, wire 10, coil 69, wire 12, contact 26, contact 3| and ground return to battery 29. The driver may manually move the contact 64 back to its normal position to disconnect the fog lamp 55 and to reconnect the parking lamps l5 and 16. In case he fails to do so when parking the car, the act of turning off the ignition by opening switch 2| will cause the magnet coil 69 to be disconnected from the battery and will permit the spring 65 to restore the contact 64 to parking position and to disconnect the fog lamp.

When contact 30 of switch I3 is moved to position 30b, the parking lamps are disconnected and the circuit of magnet coil 69 is broken by the separation of contacts 26 and 3|. Therefore, in case the fog lamp was on at the time the contact 30 was moved from full line position to position 30b, the contact 64 of switch would be automatically restored to parking position. In position 301) of contact 30, the tail lamp 32 and the head lamps 5|) and 5| are connected with the battery, and also the filament 42 of ditch lamp 43 so long as the foot operated plunger of dimmer switch 35 is held down.

The present invention therefore embraces a two way switch normally urged by a spring into position for connecting the parking lamps with the parking lamp terminal of the main lighting switch, said two-way switch being operable to a fog-lamp-connecting position. In this latter position the two-way switch is held by an electromagnet whose coil is in series with the ignition switch and an auxiliary switch closed only when the main lighting switch is in parking position. Therefore, movement of the main lighting switch contact to off or to driving positions will disconnect the magnet coil, and the opening of the ignition switch will disconnect the magnet coil, thereby releasing the spring which urges the twoway switch to normal position for establishing connection with the parking lamps, when the main switch is moved again into parking position. When fog is encountered, it is not desirable to use the main driving lamps, hence switch 23 is moved to parking position and the two-way switch 50 is moved to fog-lamp-on position, so that driving may be safely continued by the lights from the fog lamp and the ditch marker.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An automobile lighting system comprising a current source, parking lamps, main driving or head lamps and an auxiliary lamp such as a fog lamp, a main lighting switch having oil, parking and driving positions, and a two-way switch normally operative to connect the parking lamps with the current source when the main switch is in parking position, a spring normally retaining the switch in this position and operable to disconnect the parking lamps and to connect the auxiliary lamp with the current source while the main switch is in parking position, electromagnetic means for retaining the two-way switch in this latter position against the action of the spring, said means comprising a magnet winding, and a switch coordinated with the main lighting switch for connecting the winding with the current source only when the main lighting switch is in parking position.

2. An automobile lighting system comprising a current source, parking lamps, main driving or head lamps and an auxiliary lamp such as a fog lamp, a main lighting switch having off, parking and driving positions, and a two-way switch normally operative to connect the parking lamps with the current source when the main switch is in parking position, a spring normally retaining the switch in this position, and operable to disconnect the parking lamp and to connect the auxiliary lamp with the current source while the main switch is in parking position, electromagnetic means for retaining the two-way switch in this latter position against the action of the spring, said means comprising a magnet winding, and a switch for connecting the automobile ignition apparatus and said winding with the current source.

.3. An automobile lighting system comprising a current source, parking lamps, main driving or head lamps and an auxiliary lamp such as a fog lamp, a main lighting switch having off, parking and driving positions, and a two-way switch normally operative to connect the parking lamps with the current source when the main switch is in parking position, a spring normally retaining the switch in this position and operable to disconnect the parking lamp and to connect the auxiliary lamp with the current source while the main switch is in parking position, electromagnetic means for retaining the two-way switch in this latter position against the action of the spring, said means comprising a magnet winding, a switch coordinated with the main lighting switch for connecting the winding with the current source only when the main lighting switch is in parking position and a switch for connecting the automobile ignition apparatus and said winding with the current source.

4. A lighting system for automobiles comprising a current source, a plurality of lighting circuits, a switch for selectively connecting said circuits, a main switch for connecting the current source with either of said circuits through said selecting switch, a spring for urging said selecting switch into its normal position, an electromagnet for retaining said selecting switch in another position, said electromagnet having a winding, and a switch coordinated with the main switch for connecting the winding with the current source when the main switch is in position to connect the current source with either of the lighting circuits through the selecting switch.

5. A lighting system for automobiles comprising a current source, a plurality of lighting circuits, a switch for selectively connecting said circuits, a main switch for connecting the current source with either of said circuits through said selecting switch, a spring for urging said selecting switch into its normal position, an electromagnet for retaining said selecting switch in another position, said electromagnet having a winding, and a switch for connecting the automobile ignition apparatus and said winding with the current source.

6. A lighting system for automobiles comprising a current source, a plurality of lighting circuits, a switch for selectively connecting said circuits, a main switch for connecting the current source with either of said circuits through said selecting switch, a spring for urging said selecting switch into its normal position, an electromagnet for retaining said selecting switch in another position, said electromagnet having a winding, a switch coordinated with the main switch for connecting the winding with the current source when the main switch is in position to connect the current source with either of the lighting circuits through the selecting switch and a switch for connecting the automobile ignition apparatus and said winding with the current source.

7. An automobile lighting system comprising, a current source; an ignition circuit for the motor of the automobile; a switch for closing the ignition circuit; main head lamps, parking lamp and an auxiliary lamp; a main lighting switch having off, parking and driving positions; a twoway switch normally operative to connect the parking lamp with the source when the main lighting switch is in parking position; resilient means normally holding the two-way switch in its normal position; and an electroresponsive means in electrical connection between the ignition circuit and a switch coordinated with the main lighting switch, said electroresponsive means holding the two way switch in another position after same is manually moved against the resistance of the resilient means to said other position to connect the auxiliary lamp with the source, said electroresponsive means being operative only when the main switch is in the parking position and the ignition switch is closed.

8. In combination in a motor vehicle having a motor; an ignition circuit for the motor; a plu rality of lighting circuits; a manually operative selective switch for controlling two of the lighting circuits; a main switch for connecting a current source with either of said two lighting circuits through the selective switch; resilient means for holding the selective switch in a normal. position, an electromagnet including a winding; con nections for connecting one end of the winding with the ignition circuit with the other end adapted to be connected with a movable ground connection associated with the main switch when said main switch is actuated to a certain position to connect either of said two circuits through the selective switch, said winding being energized incident to the closing of one of said two circuits and upon closing of the ignition circuit, and said electromagnet operating to hold the selective switch only when same is manually actuated from its normal position to another position and said resilient means automatically returning the selective switch upon opening of the ignition circuit.

9. A lighting system for a motor vehicle having a motor; a current source; a plurality of lighting circuits; a switch for selectively connecting said circuits with the source; a main switch for connecting the current source with either of said circuits through the selecting switch; resilient means for urging the selecting switch into its normal position; an ignition circuit for the motor; an electromagnet in electrical connection between the ignition circuit and a normally open switch coordinated with the main switch; and a switch for closing the ignition circuit and conmeeting the winding of the electromagnet with the current source incident to the closing of main switch in an on position to close the coordinated switch, said electromagnet adapted to hold the selecting switch only when the selecting switch is manually moved from its normal position to another position and only so long as both the ignition switch and the coordinated switch are closed.

10. A lighting system for a motor vehicle having a motor; a current source; a plurality of lighting circuits; a switch for selectively connecting said circuits with the source; a main switch for connecting the current source with either of said circuits through the selecting switch; resilient means for urging the selecting switch into its normal position; an ignition circuit and an ignition switch for the motor; an electromagnet in electrical connection with the ignition circuit;

and grounding means for the winding of the electromagnet, said means being movable by the main switch but insulated therefrom and arranged therewith so that winding will be energized when the ignition circuit is closed and the main switch is moved to a certain on position to connect the circuits through selecting switch, said electromagnet being operable to hold the selective switch only when same is moved manually from its normal position to another position against the action of the resilient means and only so long as the ignition switch is closed and the main switch is in that certain on position.

11.. An automobile lighting system for an automobile having a motor; a current source; an ignition circuit and an ignition switch for the motor; a plurality of lighting circuits; a switch for selectively connecting the lighting circuits with the source; resilient means for urging the selecting switch in its normal position; an electromagnet having a winding in electrical connection with the ignition circuit; a main switch for connecting the current source with either of the li hting circuits through the selecting switch and grounding means controlled by the main switch permitting the winding of the electromagnet to be energized only when the ignition switch is closed, said electrcmagnet being so arranged in respect to the selecting switch that the force exerted thereby is insufficient to pull the selecting switch to another position independently of manual means but is sufficient to hold said switch in the other position when same is manually moved in that other position.

12. An automobile lighting system for auto-- mobile having a motor; a current source; an ignition circuit and an ignition switch for the motor; a plurality of lighting circuits; a switch for selectively connecting the lighting circuits with the source; spring means acting upon the selecting switch to hold same in its normal position; and an electromagnet energized only during the time either of the lighting circuits through the 1 selective switch is closed and the ignition switch 

